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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29428704">alwayswithyou.mp3</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamtrufflebrie/pseuds/iamtrufflebrie'>iamtrufflebrie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Given (Anime), Given (Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bittersweet, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Slice of Life, fleeting days and life's impermanence, i apologise in advance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:35:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,366</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29428704</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamtrufflebrie/pseuds/iamtrufflebrie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>four short stories of mafuyu and yuki through the seasons.<br/></p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <i>When he threads his hand into Yuki’s, he feels him run a calloused thumb softly over his own and it almost makes his tears well up. Yuki’s touch is always so tender despite his intimidating appearance. His touch always makes everything okay again. Then Mafuyu wordlessly presses his cheek into their laced fingers.</i>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Satou Mafuyu/Yoshida Yuuki</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>alwayswithyou.mp3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <span class="u">AUTUMN</span>
  </b>
</p>
<p>Leaning back against the gray fleece blanket spilling off the bed behind him, Mafuyu stretches his arms out. <i>Ah, smells like home</i>, he finds himself thinking as the faint hint of sage and sandalwood he’d grown accustomed to fills his senses. Then he turns his attention to the figure sitting cross legged atop the bed—his best friend from childhood and lover, Yuki.</p>
<p>
  <i>He’s entranced by his guitar… as usual. </i>
</p>
<p>Mafuyu lolls his head back and lets his eyes travel down the gentle dip in the guitar’s build where Yuki’s arm rested, towards the skillful hand strumming the strings, and up to the agile fingers dancing along the fretboard without any struggle at all. To be able to watch the person he loves most happy and absorbed in his own element made Mafuyu dizzy with joy.</p>
<p>
  <i>Just as I am, by him. </i>
</p>
<p>The corners of his lips curve upward as he catches Yuki furrow his brows and tip his head down slightly in concentration. Aside from enjoying the bliss surrounding his lover as he makes music, it’s these little expressions Mafuyu knows only he is privy to that always makes the butterflies in his stomach flutter. </p>
<p>“Hmm?” Yuki pauses, then leans over to plant a kiss on Mafuyu’s exposed forehead. When their eyes meet again, Yuki lifts his chin to kiss him on the lips. As he does, something in Mafuyu’s opened notebook on his birch coffee table catches his eye.</p>
<p>“Is this from a song?” he asks, setting aside his guitar to get a closer look. </p>
<p>Mafuyu shakes his head and sits up, his coral locks falling back into place. “They’re… they’re just something I wrote in class today while watching the leaves fall off their branches…”</p>
<p>“Mmm, they’re beautiful,” Yuki grins, pulling his lover back to kiss the compliment into his crown. “Just like you.”</p>
<p>The way Yuki is always so forthright with his words never fails to make his heart skip a beat. “You’re exaggerating, they’re just scribbles…” Mafuyu mumbles, then runs a hand through his hair as if to swat away the heat of Yuki’s love that was slowly causing his face to burn up.</p>
<p>“The way I see it, it’s a part of you—they’re poetic and pretty because of how you’ve put them together, even if you don’t think much of them, silly,” Yuki laughs, and easily coaxes Mafuyu up onto the bed into his arms.</p>
<p>“Just as these musical staves are my canvas, these blank pages are yours. And I am just as interested in the things you think about.” Yuki takes Mafuyu’s hand in his and starts to trace imaginary words together in the air. “I want to know how the world looks like through your eyes too.”</p>
<p>The coral-haired teen turns, looking straight into Yuki’s russet brown eyes. “Then… why do you write?”</p>
<p>“Oh, Mafuyu…” Yuki tries to brush off the seriousness in his beloved’s gaze, but the earnestness tugs at the fraying ends of his heartstrings. “Memoirs exist because the human mind is limited, and people tend to forget too easily, even things they swore they’d never. So I don’t want to end up becoming one of those people in the future sobbing about their fragmented memories, then making things up to soothe themselves because they’ve forgotten it all. Like you, I don’t want to stay silent about the things that mean so much to me.”</p>
<p>Mafuyu contemplates his answer for a bit before giggling. “I love being like this with you, Yuki,” he mumbles quietly as he tilts his head up for a kiss.</p>
<p>“I do too, sweetheart.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>♩  ♪  ♬ ♩♩ ♪</p>
</div><b>
  <br/>
  <span class="u">WINTER</span>
  <br/>
</b><p>Steam greets the coral-haired teen as he steps into the shower—a gratifying sight from the cold oceanside they’d just been to a few hours ago. Equally welcoming is the scene unfolding ahead of him: his lover already comfortably leaning back in the tiny tub, almost nodding off in the warmth.</p>
<p>“The ocean was beautiful,” Mafuyu speaks softly as he slips into the water. “But maybe we should’ve gone when it was warmer.” </p>
<p>Yuki pushes a few stray gold locks back and laughs, “It’s not like we had anywhere to go anyway.” Then he throws his arms around Mafuyu and rests his chin on his thin shoulder.</p>
<p>“No…”</p>
<p>“I know, I know, I just want to hold you,” Yuki whines against his sweetheart trying to brush him off. Needless to say, Mafuyu gives in without resistance and relaxes into his lover’s embrace perfectly. </p>
<p>For the longest time, Yuki's arms have always felt more like home to him than anywhere else, as if the space in his arms were made for him. But Mafuyu knows it’s more than that, in too many ways that words simply do not suffice. It is the only place he knows he can bare his heart and be so sure that he would be held without any judgement or disdain, only with love and adoration. It is the only place he does not have to try so hard to be heard, because he is the only person that sees right through him, through all the things he does not say. It is the only place he could call <i>his</i> haven in this vast and empty world. </p>
<p>When he threads his hand into Yuki’s, he feels him run a calloused thumb softly over his own and it almost makes his tears well up. Yuki’s touch is always so tender despite his intimidating appearance. His touch always makes everything okay again. Then Mafuyu wordlessly presses his cheek into their laced fingers as he feels his chest tighten up.</p>
<p>“So, what do you want to do in the new year?” Yuki asks quietly.</p>
<p>“I don’t know yet. What about you?”</p>
<p>“Hmm, I’ll definitely be writing more songs. But more importantly, I want to continue being with you.”</p>
<p>“But you’ll always be with me, won’t you?” Mafuyu exhales silently.</p>
<p>“Of course.”</p>
<p>“Hey, Yuki… What if… we never met?”</p>
<p>“Huh. Then I guess I’d just keep looking for you.”</p>
<p>“But what if you don’t even know me?” The coral-haired teen turns to face him.</p>
<p>“I will know—my soul knows. So I’ll keep looking, I’ll keep searching in that lifetime and the next, and the next. And if you’re happy without me in one, I’ll wait for the next so I can be with you again. I’ll never stop until I have you in my arms.”</p>
<p>Mafuyu giggles at his lover’s silly theory. Silly, but somehow… believable. “There’s no winning with you, huh,” he jokes, enamoured by Yuki’s steadfast stance.</p>
<p>“This is my irrevocable and unwavering truth: I am yours,” Yuki promises and kisses the back of Mafuyu’s hand. “I have always been yours, and I will always be. So I’ll never let you be alone, even if you try to push me away.”</p>
<p>“You promise?”</p>
<p>With a smile, Yuki offers his pinky. “On my life.”</p>
<p>Unable to hide his smile, Mafuyu hooks their pinkies together. “Then I’ll always wait for you to find me.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>♩  ♪  ♬ ♩♩ ♪</p>
</div><b>
  <br/>
  <span class="u">SPRING</span>
  <br/>
</b><p>“Let’s go,” Yuki cheekily announces as he throws a coat towards Mafuyu, who is comfortably sprawled out on his bed, cleared of musical sheets that now littered the floor. </p>
<p>Confused, Mafuyu quickly grabs his belongings and trails along behind the blond. “Where are we going?”</p>
<p>“We’re going to see the cherry blossoms in bloom, silly.”</p>
<p>“But… where? I thought we were going to stay in today.”</p>
<p>With his trademark grin, Yuki takes hold of Mafuyu’s hand and slides it into his tan leather jacket's pocket. “You’ll find out. Just follow me.”</p>
<p><i>Everything always looks a little more magical in spring</i>, Mafuyu thinks as the light pink foliage and morning spring breeze greets them on their way out. Maybe it's the way life knows it's another beginning, or the way it meant another year of happiness with his loved one. </p>
<p>Yuki takes his sweetheart on a leisurely stroll around their neighbourhood, occasionally pausing to remember the dumb things they’ve done over the years together in different places around this small town. After sharing some laughter and tears, they stop by a convenience store for some snacks before arriving at their destination.</p>
<p>Even though Mafuyu is surprised at where Yuki has brought them, he doesn’t say anything until he lets go of his hand. He quietly follows his lover along the gravel path they’ve walked down countless times, past the concrete blocks they’ve spent almost all their days in, and finally around the all-too-familiar bend just past the courtyard to their usual spot.</p>
<p>“It’s crowded everywhere, even at the places we hang out… so this will have to do,” Yuki admits sheepishly as he quickly presents a humble spread of the snacks that were clearly put together hastily, spread on a faded beige blanket under the huge osmanthus tree they always spent their lunch breaks at. </p>
<p>The coral-haired teen doubles over in laughter. “But there are no cherry blossom trees in school!” He couldn’t help but poke holes in Yuki’s thoroughly prepared surprise. </p>
<p>“It’s… it’s here!” Yuki quickly refutes as he picks up a water crystal paper tree no bigger than his palm from the pile of snacks he’d prepared. “Look, I even made it pink, so it counts too okay. Come join me?”</p>
<p>Taking Yuki’s extended hand, Mafuyu sits and helps to lay out the mountain of food, including the ones they'd just bought a few minutes ago. <i>There's too much food</i>, he notes, but only laughs softly at the thought of Yuki preparing this surprise alone. “When did you prepare this?”</p>
<p>“Eh, a few days ago? Or was it a week ago? I don't remember,” the blond teen scratches his head as he narrows his eyes in thought. “I just saw this science experiment online… it’s cute, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>Mafuyu giggles, watching his lover’s eyes sparkle at the success of his surprise. “It is… and you’re just as cute too.” As he helps himself to a spicy pollack roe onigiri, he takes a closer look at the paper tree. “It seems like… the colour’s actually closer to my hair than the cherry blossoms.”</p>
<p>“Well… that’s because I was thinking of you.”</p>
<p>“Haaa… sure. You always are, aren’t you?”</p>
<p>Yuki shrugs with a grin, then weaves his hand in his sweetheart’s. “Even in my sleep,” he replies without missing a beat, and plants a kiss on the back of his hand.</p>
<p>Heat slowly rises on Mafuyu’s face, staining his cheeks pink. There’s something about the way Yuki speaks and moves that always lodges his heart in his throat, and he knows he’s incredibly blessed to have him by his side. </p>
<p>He closes the distance between them and presses his lips into Yuki’s. “Thank you, Yuki,” he manages softly. Even after all this while, it still feels like the first time with him.</p>
<p>Yuki returns the kiss, and rests his forehead against Mafuyu’s. “I hope you liked it.”</p>
<p>As Mafuyu nods, a gentle spring breeze blows by, carrying fallen flower petals along with it. “I look forward to spending more time with you, Yuki.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>♩  ♪  ♬ ♩♩ ♪</p>
</div><b></b><br/><span class="u">
  <br/>
  <b>SUMMER</b>
  <br/>
</span><br/><p>Flinging the bus windows open, Yuki lets out a long and satisfying yawn. A hot gust of wind greets the blond teen as the bus sped along the highway, along with the deafening cries of cicadas. It was either death by heat or deafness, both of which frustrated him on this otherwise lovely journey.</p>
<p>“Let’s go somewhere further north next time,” Yuki sighs, then slumps back into his seat.</p>
<p>The coral-haired teen beside him laughs, “Well, we are kinda going in that direction now.” And rests his head on his lover’s shoulder. The perfect height.</p>
<p>“No, like Hokkaido or something.”</p>
<p>“Oh. That’s really far. Hey, this road trip was your idea. You know that I’m happy with just staying in with you, right?”</p>
<p>Yuki chuckles, then ruffles his sweetheart’s hair. “I want to go to many new places with you. Besides, that trip to the ocean was really cold and we said we’d go somewhere warmer next time.”</p>
<p>Snuggling deeper into Yuki’s side, Mafuyu smiles. It was just a remark made in passing, but it made him happy knowing that Yuki was paying attention to him. “I know, I know.”</p>
<p>The blond teen gently kisses the top of Mafuyu’s head, then looks out of the window again. “Say… will you ever get sick of my whining?”</p>
<p>“What’s with this?” his sweetheart replies and snakes his arm around his. “I won’t, because we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together, right?”</p>
<p>Taking Yuki’s palm, Mafuyu traces the creases with a finger and continues. “We’re gonna grow older beside each other, and watch ourselves evolve into the people we dreamed to be. We’ll also share everything, won’t we? The same room, the same bed...” his voice begins to trail off. “... even the same lives, right?”</p>
<p>Without missing a beat, Yuki closes his hand around his and grins cheekily before Mafuyu could let his mind wander. “Yes, my love, and we’ll kiss all night long before turning in—” he peppers kisses on his sweetheart’s forehead. “—and when the next day comes around, we’ll be off to do our own things. And—” he tightens his grip in Mafuyu’s hand. “—I’ll return home to your kisses at the end of a long day. Then we’ll have dinner together and slip into bed when we’re done.”</p>
<p>“Ah… that sounds lovely,” Mafuyu replies softly, and squeezes his Yuki’s hand in response to his affirmation. </p>
<p>“And maybe… maybe one day, suddenly we’ll wake up and find that we’ve become grey and wrinkly,” Yuki continues with a chuckle. “But it’ll still be the same, Mafuyu, nothing’s gonna change at all. We’ll wake and have our coffee, or whatever it is we want. Then we’ll go for a walk after. And we’ll go through the parks we’ve made memories in, places we’ve played too hard in our youth…”</p>
<p>Mafuyu gently nestles his face into the curve of Yuki’s neck as his eyes flutter close against the bus’s engine droning on monotonously under his lover’s mellow voice. “I’d like that.”</p>
<p>“And then,” Yuki’s voice drops low. “When we get back, I’ll tell you that I love you, Mafuyu, and that I’ll see you in the morning.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i am experimenting with some new concepts borrowed from japanese storytelling and japanese classical music in this story, so i hope it shows through. (i was also inspired by some short writings by writers i've followed on dA and around for the sweet parts because i'm not that much of a romantic ^^") these concepts aren't actually that foreign when i think about it, because i've always been immersed in stories and music ever since i was a child. i guess i was just absorbed in other forms of writing to properly explore this avenue... and also probably, i was too young to grasp the depth and potential of it. (maybe it's a good thing because when i might've been a tad too cheesy back then...)</p>
<p>this is also the first time i'm writing in present tense, which is really a challenge! it is beautiful though, so i will keep practicing this.</p>
<p>thank you for reading! 💗</p></blockquote></div></div>
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